In Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, the race for the Republican nomination has primarily revolved around Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, with many seeing it as a two-person contest. Winning both the Iowa caucus and the open New Hampshire primary would make Trump the de facto nominee of the party. However, Haley may find a more favorable environment in New Hampshire, which has a smaller evangelical population and is home to more libertarians and independents. Recognizing the urgency to stop Trump, many institutional forces have thrown their support behind Haley's campaign. But some of these efforts may be backfiring and unintentionally aiding Trump's chances of winning.
In a phenomenon referred to as the 'sad irony,' members of the media and the Democratic Party who are most concerned about a second Trump term are acting in ways that make it more likely for him to succeed. An example of this is evident in the recent coverage of the Iowa caucus. While cable outlets provided extensive coverage throughout the night, they chose not to air Trump's acceptance speech. This decision to ignore Trump's electoral success may inadvertently tilt the scales in his favor and set a poor precedent for future coverage.
Moreover, some states, such as Colorado and Maine, are attempting to remove Trump from the ballot by asserting that he is an insurrectionist under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. While Trump's base may not have been swayed by the media blackout of his speech, they are aware of the perceived exclusion and see it as another attempt to deny them the opportunity to elect their preferred candidate. Such actions only strengthen their belief that the criminal indictments against Trump are politically motivated.
Another factor that fuels this sentiment among Trump supporters is the treatment of Hunter Biden's laptop by the media and social media companies. Initially dismissed as potential Russian disinformation during the 2020 election, recent confirmation by the Justice Department that it obtained the laptop has enraged Trump's base. They perceive a concerted effort by the establishment to work against Trump, reinforcing their loyalty to him.
The repeated negative coverage of Trump and his controversial statements also seems to rally his base. Even when he makes outrageous comments playing on racist tropes, his supporters continue to stand by him. For instance, his statement that illegal migrants are 'poisoning the blood of the nation' was widely criticized but resonated with 81% of GOP primary voters in Iowa. Immigration and the economy were cited as the most important issues by Iowa caucus goers, further cementing support for Trump.
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, acknowledges that there should be more respect towards the 74 million citizens who voted for Trump. Dimon believes that negative talk about Trump and his supporters could harm President Biden's re-election campaign, just as Hillary Clinton's comments about Trump supporters backfired in 2016.
The challenge for media outlets lies in how to cover Trump, the leading Republican candidate. While his rhetoric may be inflammatory and pose a threat to democracy, giving him a platform is essential in fulfilling the responsibility to present both sides of the political spectrum. The media should not shy away from examining and contextualizing Trump's views, even if they find them odious. Simply ignoring or suppressing his presence only fuels the perception that institutions are conspiring against him and his supporters.
Moving forward, it is crucial to strike a balance - neither giving Trump excessive free airtime nor censoring him completely. The media's responsibility is to provide fair and accurate coverage while preserving a record for posterity. Failure to do so may not only inadvertently aid Trump's election chances but also deepen divisions within the country.
